


The Leaning Game

by windfallswest



Series: Woods and Waters Wild [2]
Category: MASH (TV), Weiß Kreuz
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fusion, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-21
Updated: 2011-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-27 17:27:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/298257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/windfallswest/pseuds/windfallswest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Follows <i>Acer saccharum</i>. Beta by <span></span><a href="http://htebazytook.livejournal.com/profile"><img/></a><a href="http://htebazytook.livejournal.com/"><b>htebazytook</b></a>'s good graces.</p>
    </blockquote>





	The Leaning Game

**Author's Note:**

> Follows _Acer saccharum_. Beta by [](http://htebazytook.livejournal.com/profile)[**htebazytook**](http://htebazytook.livejournal.com/)'s good graces.

  
Ran paused and then launched into the Allegro. Fuck. Damn A-flats. He loved the _con brio furioso_ , though. It swooped and danced like these two sword-fighters he'd seen once—not duellists, but performers on a street corner in low-town. Right here——

  
—and then the final shot, sharp and unresolved.

"You left the door open," Botan told him, pulling him back to reality.

"Huh." _Imagine that._

"Show-off." Botan smiled wryly.

Ran turned to look at Botan. "I wanted to hear them coming," he replied absently. He was still coming down off the music, blood rushing loudly past his eardrums. It was a sensation Ran knew well; it made the cramped practice room seem bright and immediate. He savoured it a moment, eyes wide, and fleetingly wished he could practice in the open air.

Botan leaned back easily against the wall and crossed his arms, smiling like a wise-man. "Who?"

"Them. The hordes of substandard violinists who are jealous of my incredible skills."

"And they're conspiring to club you to death with your stand and steal your admittedly sexy violin."

"They'd never take Ishak alive."

"Ishak?"

Ran gestured to his violin with the bow. _Duh._

"It'll defend you admirably, I'm sure."

Ran glared at him, cradling Ishak protectively. "You have to ignore Botan; he's mean," Ran told the instrument.

"Hey! I'm a nice guy!"

Ran snorted. "You are no such thing. You are a nasty man entirely bereft of scruples."

"And you are a dangerous, temperamental musician." Botan chuckled and stepped closer. Ran shifted his bow to his other hand and slipped an arm around Botan's waist. Botan was always wearing these strange striped shirts in juicy colours. It was rather distracting. Ran kissed his collarbone where the top button was undone and watched the skin over it move as Botan shifted his shoulders. Tense.

"Mm. My day is like a nest of tortured screech owls."

"What, that political science paper?"

Botan sighed and tightened his embrace.

"Galactic History. Binns can kiss my ass. And I'm getting nowhere with that stupid article for Turner, either. Interviewing is doable, but people have to agree to see me first."

"Whiner. Another dead end?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe you're going at it wrong."

"Maybe." Botan straightened. "Anyway, I was going to grab some lunch. Want to come?"

"I'm going to beat this Cummirk into presentability." Ran made a face.

"I _thought_ those were supposed to be A-flats." Botan smirked.

Ran squinted suspiciously at him. "Since when do you know an A-flat from something found underneath an anvil?"

Botan shrugged a shoulder and fidgeted a bit uncomfortably. "I am veiled in mystery."

"..."

"I play recorder?" Botan admitted dubiously.

"As in you learned in primary school or you can actually make music with it?" asked Ran, more than a little amused. And curious. "Do you have one with you?"

"Well, um, yeah." Botan was _blushing_. Ran kissed him to hide his smile.

"Tonight?"

That brought an answering curve to Botan's lips.

"Dinner. I even have reservations. You better clean up good."

"Hnh."

Ran brushed a lock of hair out of Botan's face. Its prominent bones were still unfamiliar; and it frightened him a little, how natural it felt as Botan leaned into the touch. Such a serious face. Ran could see it someday carved out of marble: sombre and powerful, with justice in its hand. That wasn't his Botan at all. Easy to be inhuman with Botan's face. Ran traced it, just to be sure of its warmth and mobility. Lips that kissed his palm. Those grey eyes watched him. There was, Ran had discovered, no single feature that mocked or smiled. It was simply Botan.

"Don't turn into a statue," Ran told him sternly.

"Never," Botan promised, comically grave.

"Good. Are you sure your roommate is gone this weekend?"

"Thankfully." Botan took Ran's hand in both of his and stroked it absently.

Regretfully, Ran pulled away.

"Vanish. Eat. You could probably slip through the door even if I didn't leave it open. You'll need your strength for this weekend."

Botan smirked again. "Is that a threat, Ran?"

"Unquestionably." A predatory smile stretched Ran's lips in reply. Botan covered it with a kiss that left Ran's knees weak. A moment passed with Ran greedily sucking Botan's tongue and then a piccolo began doing something in what was quite possibly Phrygian mode. They both jumped back.

"Eight sharp, by Old Havers," Botan breathed, tearing himself away. Ran's gaze following him might have burned the air.

 _Fuck._ Those A-flats were going _down_.

  
***

  
"Oh. Hey, Ran."

"McIntyre," Ran acknowledged him. He smoothed down the front of his tunic and frowned at the mirror. "You'll have the place pretty much to yourself, this weekend. I may be by tomorrow sometime."

"C'mon, Ran. How many times do I hafta—truly? Well, now. Ain't that a lovely surprise." Ran could hear his smile through the incessant gum-chewing.

"You know, you've been a bit scarce this past week." _Chaw, chew._

When Ran didn't respond immediately, McIntyre continued.

"And you're lookin' awful fancy over there."

Here it came. Ran made himself look busy over his wallet.

"Don't suppose you've found yourself a girl, roomie?"

Ran looked up to quirk an eyebrow and McIntyre was shaking his head.

"Damn. All weekend, too? You're pretty sure of yourself. I mean, no offence, but you do come off as just the slightest bit frigid."

"Give it up," Ran advised him, slipping the wallet into his back pocket.

"Not a chance. I'm gonna find out eventually." McIntyre spread his hands.

"There is no girl." Ran was getting just a little bit annoyed. McIntyre was a nosy hun dan and this frankly wasn't any of his business.

McIntyre was sitting with his feet up, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Then who's the gal waved you an hour ago?"

"Gou cao de—" Ran rushed over to his terminal. "What, did you listen to all of it?"

"Nah, I was on my way out. So is it your girlfriend or what?"

Ran spared him a soul-killing glare. "It's from my _sister_." It hadn't occurred to him to check his messages; he was suffering from a certain amount of nervous anxiety. Tonight, he was determined to pry some significant information out of Botan. For all that people called Ran laconic, Botan said very little about himself.

"So you just read the scan-line and ducked out the door?" Ran's voice fell a very far cry from biting. Behind his deliberate impassivity, joy was bubbling. Ran switched off the screen and opened the door.

"Later."

  
***

Botan saw Ran coming halfway across the grass. That vivid red hair really jumped out of the crowd. It had been what caught Botan's eye in the first place. And then Ran's humour and his passion and the occasional, unexpected bouts of dorkiness.

Ran was wearing a tunic in reddish brown that actually didn't clash at all with his hair. His trousers were a close-fitting deep red. The wind batted and billowed the shirt's thin fabric, revealing in snatches the straight lines of Ran's body.

A change in the light caused Botan to shift. The sun had been swallowed by a passing cloudbank, and just like that the temperature dropped. Suddenly, the breeze was sharp, cutting through Botan's own silk, burnt orange or amber. The suit was light but of formal tailoring: high collar with rounded edges, closed with coppery frogs all the way to the neck.

Heart clogging his larynx, Botan waved. Ran grinned and jogged over.

"Hey," he said, leaning up and pressing a brief kiss to Botan's lips.

"Hey. Ready?" asked Botan, slipping an arm around Ran's waist. It really _was_ cold out here; they should have brought coats.

Ran nodded. "Where is this place?"

"About a block from campus. Besides the food—which, by the way, you'll love—the music's live."

"'Live' as in it will crawl all over you and start chewing on your ears?" Ran asked, less than trusting.

"Have a _little_ faith. It's not even jam music." Except on Tuesday nights, but he'd better not mention that.

"I believe you. Really."

Botan stopped at stared at Ran.

"I do believe there was no irony in that statement. Something's made you very happy." Botan leered.

Ran snorted and tugged with the arm he had around Botan's waist to get them moving again. "Don't flatter yourself." He was smiling, though.

"You're almost perky," continued Botan thoughtfully.

"Hnh."

"No, really; I don't think I've ever seen you this happy before."

"I'm not acting any differently than I usually do!" Ran protested.

Botan laughed, earning himself a poke in the diaphragm. "Ooph."

Ran's eyes danced. "Were you planning to have sex this weekend? Because I was thinking about reading a book."

"Can I watch you?" Mm. Now there was a picture: Ran, with his legs drawn up under him, ensconced in a chair, all that still focus bent on the reader, like a painting come to life.

Ran looked somewhat askance at him. Botan cleared his throat and ducked his head. The wind blew loud and sharp as they walked arm in arm along the street. He could feel Ran vibrating with barely-suppressed excitement. Botan's curiosity was piqued.

"Here; this is the place."

Lamiel's was a well-guarded secret Botan and his friends had discovered during their Freshman year. It was a cosy little hole-in-the-wall with hand-woven rugs thrown over the tiled floor. The lights dangling from the low ceiling were shaded by stained glass bowls. It was all terribly old-fashioned, right down to the music, the sort of stuff Botan heard his dad go on about and pretty much no one else.

While Botan talked to the maitre d', Ran examined a mosaic on the wall. Botan had to practically drag him back to their table. After the waitress took their drink orders, Botan watched Ran stew in silent debate with himself.

"Hey." Botan nudged Ran's foot under the table. "What is it?"

Ran opened his menu and fidgeted.

"You said Botan wasn't your actual name," Ran burst out finally. He wasn't looking away now, pinioning Botan with a defiant glare.

Botan met it evenly. "Yeah. My real name kind of sucks," he tried to shrug it off.

"What is it?"

 _Aw, please..._ It was Botan's turn to fidget. He was saved by the waitress' return, except Ran kept staring expectantly at him in defiance of all awkwardness. Botan's shoulder's slumped in deference to the inevitable.

"Ran, do I have to?" Botan looked at him with pleading eyes. Not that it mattered; he already knew he'd lost.

"No; I'll just have to keep my sister to myself when she gets here. Also I'll be forced to call you Piffle from now on, which you may find embarrassing at certain moments."

Aha! _So that's what it is!_ Botan gave Ran a brief look of reproach without any real feeling behind it.

"She's coming? When? What's—"

"Ah ah ah," Ran interrupted. "She insists on having 'the scoop' on you. And so do I."

"Fine." In the brief span of time he'd known Ran, the number of argument's he'd not–won was astonishing. This must be corrected, and soon, or Botan would be in deep trouble. But probably not tonight.

"Well, out with it then," Ran encouraged him. "What's this unspeakable appellation of yours?"

Botan manfully refrained from sticking his tongue out or slouching further, though that was only because they were sitting on floor cushions. "Kirayoshi. O'Brien." Botan grimaced. See, this here would have been a perfect occasion for Ran's deadpan. _Sniggering; now what's that about?_ Botan mock-scowled. "And you know what they named my sister? Molly."

Botan closed his mouth abruptly, locking his eyes on the tablecloth. It hadn't hit him like that in a while. Fuck. Botan shook the burning sensation in his eyes away.

"Botan?" Ran started to get up. "What is—"

"I'm fine." Fixing a smile on his face, Botan placed his hand over Ran's on the table. _Don't look at me like that, dammit, I'll..._

Ran was squeezing his hand, still looking like he was about to vault over the table. Or onto it to defend him from whatever monsters were lurking in wait. _Gods, Ran, but you're something._ Botan blinked impatiently. Had to be an eyelash.

"Sorry. Sorry."

"Shh, don't be." Ran brushed a strand of hair out of Botan's face, lingering to cup his cheek. Botan leaned into it for a moment, then pulled away.

"Molly was my older sister. We lost her four years ago. We... They never found her body." Botan rubbed circles on the back of one of Ran's hands, which had Botan's firmly in their grip. _Relax, Ran. Gods, I didn't mean to do this tonight._

"I've dealt with it and everything," he reassured Ran. "It's just...sometimes..."

"Yeah."

"Food's here." Botan grinned and brought Ran's hands to his lips, kissing each briefly before releasing them. He wriggled into a more comfortable position, closing his eyes and inhaling the warm scent of food and spices rising from the plate in front of him. All of a sudden he was ravenous.

"Hey! Keep to your own plate." Ran hunched protectively over his stir-fry.

"Nonsense. Here, try this." Botan waved his chopsticks in Ran's face.

"Hold still, then," growled Ran impatiently, taking hold of Botan's wrist and delicately lipping off the piece of crayfish. He lingered a second, looking up at Botan through thick, dark lashes.

"Rutting tease," Botan pretended to grumble.

Ran smiled lazily. "We'll see."

Wow. "Is this the effect being fed usually has on you? Because I could get used to this."

Ran stared at Botan through hooded eyes, enthralling him in a more languorous interpretation of his usual glower. "I wouldn't."

Botan could actually _feel_ the individual blood cells link hands and start whirling madly in his circulatory system. "If you're trying to discourage me, it's not working very well."

"Talk," Ran commanded.

Botan smirked lazily back at him and saw Ran's breath hitch. Sweet, sweet revenge.

"What do you want to know?" he asked, twiddling his chopsticks pensively.

"Everything." There was no escaping Ran's eyes; scared, yeah, but so certain.

Botan exhaled shakily. "Okay."

So he started talking. He told Ran how his father had been an engineer on board a ship, and how he'd grown up in space, underfoot of the crew. It wasn't a cruiser, not like the towering ones that were starting to roll off the lines, as though entire city blocks had come untethered and drifted out of orbit. The _Enterprise_ was more graceful, her (Botan's father insisted) aerodynamic lines a holdover that let her navigate planetary atmospheres. Because she wasn't strictly a military vessel, there were family quarters built in; but that still didn't mean they were spacious enough that you wanted to spend a lot of time in them. If you weren't too obnoxious, the crew got used to you pretty quickly. Secure areas aside, it was possible to be almost anywhere during an emergency.

The _Enterprise_ had a lot of emergencies.

And so if you were even half paying attention you learned all sorts of stuff. Some of which could be pretty traumatising, but that was life. In any case, it took an astonishing amount of wilful ignorance to resist the process. Kids were safe; kids were neutral. So if you were nice and open and friendly, people just sort of told you things. Ran snorted at that, for which reaction Botan stole more of his stir-fry.

"I am a people person, I tell you. I connect very well with people," Botan insisted.

"..."

Botan gave him a Look. "Stop doing that."

"..."

Nope; Ran was gone. Somewhere in around snubbing Botan he had let his head fall back and was now staring at the obscured ceiling, bobbing a chopstick in time with the music. _I think you were more sober when you were drunk._

"Told you the music was good." Botan basked in the recovered glow of self-satisfaction.

"Their horn is _amaz_ ing. Have you ever heard this? Dit dah _dah_ brum broo-ah," Ran hummed below the music. "How are these people not playing in orchestras somewhere?"

"Maybe it's their night off," Botan suggested. " You'd be surprised who all shows up here."

"Shh! It's almost at the good part."

Botan laughed, earning himself a vicious poke from Ran's chopstick. He stuck out his tongue in retaliation, but Ran only mouthed _later_ at him. Botan almost choked on his tea.

"So what's your sister like?" Botan asked as they were walking back to campus.

"Aya? She's a pain in the ass, and don't let her make you forget it." Ran smiled sort of sideways at him. "Real smart, though. She's going to a prep school in Cirfax."

Botan nodded.

"Does she speak the language?"

"Yes," Ran grumbled, but it was an affectionate grumble.

Botan nodded, drawing closer to Ran.

"She's going to be a doctor, maybe even a xenovet," Ran went on. "You should hear her talking about going to the Rim worlds. She's absolutely mad for it. It's kind of frightening. You'll see," Ran assured him. "She does this bouncy sort of thing. Of course you'll see! She's coming in three and a half weeks. Fall break is standard, at least, I guess." Botan couldn't help noticing Ran doing a bouncy thing himself.

"They kick us out for that, you know."

"Good. I won't have to introduce her to McIntyre," said Ran grimly.

"Trapper's not _that_ bad. Hey, so _you're_ his roommate?"

"Obviously." Ran bumped his hip. "Everyone knows McIntyre, it seems. It's disturbing."

"He gets around," Botan admitted.

"Like a bad cold."

The streetlamps were on now, casting an inexplicably yellow light that did things to Ran's eyes, tawny reflections gleaming off the purple there. He caught Botan staring and leaned in for a kiss, brief touch of lips.

"Your nose is cold," Ran informed him gravely.

"Is it now?"

"Eeek! Botan!" Ran squeaked and batted at Botan with his free hand.

"Mm, nice and toasty," observed Botan, although it came out closer to _nmf md mrrm_ because his face was buried in Ran's neck.

"Maybe I should be afraid to introduce _you_ to my sister," Ran complained

"Are you afraid I'll start molesting you in front of her?"

"Considering that you're molesting me in front of total strangers?"

"Just sowing good hay for my future career in politics," Botan tossed off. "If the people see that all my scandalous behaviour is out in public, that's half the battle right there."

"Is that so." An edge of warning crept into Ran's voice and he was tensing in the circle of Botan's arm. He squeezed Ran tighter.

"Even if there were no posterity to shock, my desire to molest you would remain unabated. I promise."

"Good. Your nose is still cold."

"Mf."

"And in about twenty seconds you're going to walk into a lamppost, which I make no effort to steer you around."

Botan looked up and blew Ran's hair out of his face. "You're a mean boyfriend."

Ran raised an eyebrow. "Since when am I your boyfriend?"

"Would you rather be my mistress? Or I could be your mistress," Botan suggested.

"Don't think that's quite the right term," Ran said with a perfectly straight face.

"And what would you say?" Botan asked, curious.

"I say you'd look awfully silly in a skirt."

"Thank all my gods and ancestors."

Silence fell as they walked across campus. The hard, real press of Ran's profile all down his side was enough to drive all other thoughts from Botan's mind. He fiddled with the hem of Ran's shirt. The fabric was smooth to Botan's chapping fingers. Anxiety, like the remnants of an already faint perfume hovered sourcelessly in the air, and it was possible that Botan might have really crossed a line with the boyfriend comment. There had been one drunken night, followed by significant amounts of time spent in each other's company, mostly with their tongues down one another's throats. They'd managed the time and privacy for something more maybe twice, but in all there had been rather a dearth of conversation. It occurred to Botan that he had no idea what kind of experience Ran had. But, well, boyfriend was a pretty safe term, right?

Botan tended to be impulsive. He'd come to terms with that. It wasn't that he didn't think about things, but he had confidence in his judgement. That was something he'd learned watching his father: Miles Edward O'Brien stood by his actions through blood and fire. More than one shouting match had been the result of what Miles insisted was his son's hasty judgement, but Botan didn't care. He trusted his gut reactions.

So Botan hadn't stopped to think about his relationship with Ran, because what was there to think about? The kissing was good—and other things along that line—and Ran was proving himself decent company. Better than decent. Aside from that, at this point, Botan couldn't say anything more that wasn't redundant. In his mind, Botan's thought lingered on the crimson of Ran's hair and the sureness of Ran's fingers on his instrument. He could probably describe for hours the space-paleness of Ran's skin against the glowing wood, which was why Botan was grateful his roommate didn't know yet. Ivan, aside from being mostly clueless, was a decent guy, but Botan had a hunch that listening to three hours of babble describing Ran's arms from the elbows down would probably alienate him just a little bit.

Ran looked back at Botan questioningly when he hesitated at the entrance to his dorm. Botan was kissing him before his brain had time to process the decision. "I'd never hurt you, Ran," he whispered fiercely, and he meant it. "If any of this, anything makes you uncomfortable, just tell me. Dong ma?"

"Botan?" Ran's eyes were dark with pupil, the lines of a puzzled frown between them. Botan felt his need to reassure in the kiss that followed, and some of his worries melted away. "Come on."

Ran waited until they were in Botan's room before he spoke again. He met Botan's gaze head-on.

"Botan. I trust you." Ran raised a hand and rested his fingertips on Botan's lips. _Let me talk._ Botan nodded.

"I'm not confused. Well, I am, but not about...

"This." Ran stepped closer. "I know I want this."

"Oh," breathed Botan, "good."

Tentatively, Botan licked the tips of Ran's fingers, then sucked them into his mouth. A shiver ran through him at Ran's hiss of pleasure.

Botan let the fingers slip in and out, focussing on the rhythm until Ran couldn't take it any more. With a groan that ripped itself from his chest, Ran was kissing him, wet fingertips digging into Botan's jaw and cheek.

After a too-short eternity Ran pulled away, reluctantly letting Botan's lower lip slip from between his teeth. Botan had wormed his hands up under Ran's tunic and continued to trace patterns there while Ran worked his shirt open.

"Gods, you're good at that," Botan told him.

Ran slid an open palm up Botan's stomach to his chest and leaned closer. Botan's hands came to a rest on his shoulder blades. He took another kiss, slow and smooth like taffy, and in its wake he whispered, _practise,_ in a husky voice that sent certain parts of Botan quivering to attention.

"You've done this often, then?" asked Botan slyly.

"Not really. My school uniform." Ran half-smiled. "Have you?"

"Some," Botan admitted.

"With—"

Botan nodded, nuzzling Ran's neck.

"What have you...nnh! exactly," Ran started to say as Botan nipped the juncture of his shoulder and neck.

"We're pretty much on the same page." Botan licked at the spot, swaying with Ran. "Unless," and now Botan trailed his lips down to the skin exposed by the tunic's open neck, "no one's ever sucked your dick before." He lifted his eyes to meet Ran's, holding his breath.

Ran shook his head mutely.

Botan smiled hopefully, his mouth dry. He touched Ran's face, pinning him with his gaze. _Please,_ Botan thought because he couldn't make his voice work to say it. _Please let me._

Ran laid his hand over Botan's, closing his fingers around it and lowering it. Then he reached down and grabbed the hem of his tunic. Botan helped him pull it off and flung it away. He kissed Ran soundly, for courage, slipping his fingers under the waist of Ran's trousers. Ran was grinning at him when they broke the kiss.

"Devil-child," Botan accused. No underwear. Ran was too gorram sexy to begin with. If he kept this up, Botan was going to embarrass himself. _I'll show_ you.

Botan licked his way down Ran's chest, lingering over first one nipple, then the other. He drank in the breathy little sounds and moans Ran made, especially when he sank to his knees and slid his tongue into Ran's belly-button. Botan fumbled at Ran's fly with sex-stupid fingers.

 _Ha!_ thought Botan triumphantly and finally peeled down Ran's trousers. He stopped to take in the view. It stole his breath away. Crimson hair in disarray, mouth wet and bruised with kisses. There were bite-marks forming from Ran's neck to his stomach, and his hard cock was three inches from Botan's face.

Ran's hands had found Botan's shoulders and they squeezed while Ran closed his eyes and leaned his head back. Botan was transfixed for a moment and then he too had to look away.

Botan bent forward and licked experimentally at Ran's erection. "Mm."

"Oh god," Ran gasped, eyes flying open.

He brought his hands up to rest on Ran's hips and did it again. Ran made a choked noise and jerked forward in Botan's grip.

"With me so far?" asked Botan, rubbing his thumbs in circles. Ran pulled him forward urgently in response.

With just enough suction not to be a tease, Botan took the head in his mouth. Taste of salt. Slowly, he slid down until Ran's cock hit the back of his throat. He eased off and came back down, sucking harder.

Ran moved spasmodically, his voice tangled in incoherent sounds. One of his hands wound itself in Botan's hair; the other held Botan's head in place. Tch. As if he'd leave. Leave this, leave Ran. As if he could. He tried to murmur reassurances but they only made Ran tremble, nothing more than air ghosting over wet skin, than vibrations absorbed by it in gasps and surges. The world fell away around him; he forgot everything but seize and grasp, hold, _give._

" _Botan!_ " Ran shouted and came. Botan swallowed and swallowed. With a last, shaky lick, Botan let go Ran's cock.

Ran collapsed to his knees, which was good because Botan didn't think he could stand up right now. He caught Ran in a tight embrace.

By dint of sheer dead weight and lack of resistance on Botan's part, Ran toppled them to the floor. He scrabbled at the rest of Botan's clothes, managing to kick off his own shoes and trousers while he was at it. It took nothing more than Ran bare against him, touching him, to send Botan over the edge. Ran's arms were wrapped around him almost protectively as he shuddered out his finish.

"Ran," Botan mumbled into his ear.

Ran reached abortively for Botan's face, letting his hand fall half-way there with a sated murmur. Botan caught it and brought it up to his lips. Meditatively, he kissed the tips, then started licking it clean. Ran shivered, his eyes half-closed with drowsy pleasure.

Botan drifted in and out of consciousness for a while, curled with Ran on the floor. Ran was too quiet to be sleeping, but Botan was comfortable and content to wait until Ran was ready.

"My parents died two and a half years ago."

Ran was very still. A few things made more sense now, but… _Oh, Ran._ Botan hugged him closer.

"It was a train accident, when they were revamping the transit systems."

Botan nodded. That had been about time his family had relocated to Inde. He remembered a series of nightmarish snarls when they were moving in. Their baggage had been lost somewhere between orbit and the city of Ferregoshe on the other side of the planet. His father had walked around grumbling under his breath about inefficiency and civilian engineers. For his part, Botan hadn't found the traffic stoppages much different than being stuck in a shuttle or his quarters—which was mostly where you ended up—for hours or days during emergencies, which was to say boring.

"My cousin and I have custody of Aya. He's in the service, assigned to Sangreal. He's alright, I guess, but... Aya is all I have."

"Ran…" Botan pressed Ran against him, lost for words. In response, Ran wound his arms about Botan with rib-crushing force. They stayed like that for a long time. _I'll be here. I'll always be here._

At last, Ran drew in a shuddering breath. "So. Boyfriend?"

"Unless you foresee this stopping anytime soon." Not likely, given his death grip on Botan's torso.

"Never."

  
***

  
It was some indeterminate hour of the night. They had slept for a few hours before Botan was obliged to make a stealthy foray to his building's dining hall in hastily-donned sweatpants and tee-shirt for tea and coffee. Ran craned his head over his shoulder when the door opened with a muted _click_.

"Hey, can you actually play these?" Ran flapped a practise book at Botan from his place on the floor.

"Mostly." Botan handed Ran his mug and sat beside him in front of a small set of shelves. He reached past Ran to pull out a narrow sleeve-bag, setting his tea down on the floor where it wouldn't spill. Loosening the drawstring, Botan shook the recorder case out onto his lap and flipped it open.

"From the _Enterprise_." Botan lifted the recorder from its velvet bed. "The captain made this. He always claimed he didn't like children, but…" An almost sad smile twisted his lips as he gazed off into some memory Ran couldn't see.

Ran took his hand, stroking the back of it with his thumb.

"Long story." Botan laced their fingers together. "Anyway, it was a birthday present."

The recorder was carved from a light brown wood. Patterns like waves and birds stood out in faint relief. There was no varnish; but an herbal smell, maybe oil, emanated from the case and smooth wood.

"Pretty?"

Botan laughed.

"Well it's not like I know anything about recorders!" Ran protested.

Botan gave his hand a brief squeeze before letting go. Ran watched as Botan licked his lips and brought the mouthpiece up.

_Holy mother of gods and elephants._

Botan shifted his gaze and played a short scale-like riff. Then he played a few notes in a simple, haunting melody. They hung in the air for a moment as his grey eyes answered Ran's intense watching. He wet his lips again and continued, his face set in concentration. It wasn't something Ran knew and he drank it in, the notes sounding beautifully in the hushed air, slipping away from the final _ritard_ like snow in the wind.

Ran was fairly certain his jaw had scooped out a crater in the floor.

"What?" Botan asked, looking at him oddly.

Ran proceeded to kiss the living daylights out of him. After a startled instant, Botan caught up.

"Do you have any idea how incredibly sexy that is?"

"Uh, no?" Botan blushed. He flicked a piece of hair out of Ran's face. "You should see yourself, though," Botan told him in a lower voice. "I could fuck you right now."

Ran's brain short-circuited.

"Do you want to?" he said without thinking. Ran was half in Botan's lap and from that position it was pretty difficult to miss that Botan wanted to do _something._ Ran couldn't say he found the idea wholly unappealing. He waited, heart pounding like a dozen bass drums.

The look in Botan's eyes when he said yes sent Ran's head spinning. Ran cut off any further words with a fierce kiss. _Yes, yes, a thousand times, forever_. Could Botan taste the wanting in Ran's mouth the way Ran could in his? He could swear there was a flavour to it all its own.

"Have you ever…?" Ran asked.

"No. I have lube, though. Picked it up the day I met you." Cue eyebrow waggle.

Ran pinched him. "That's a little overconfident, don't you think?"

Botan grinned at him, an unmistakeable challenge. "You tell me."

"You're the one who seems so very sure of himself." Ran wriggled the rest of the way onto Botan's lap to take the sting from his words and linked his arms behind Botan's neck.

Bending so that his hair fell into his face, Botan kissed the inside of Ran's elbow. "Told you. I grew up ship-board. It's amazing what you can learn without even trying." Cold air, warm breath. Ran feels the skin prickle on his arm. "Have you ever been to the outer worlds?"

Hissing, Ran sucked in air through his teeth as Botan nipped at the crease. "No," he managed, resting his head against Botan's and pulling himself closer.

"You should; it's fascinating. So many different places, social structures. The plains of Mustafar are blue like an ocean. Thousands upon thousands of miles, empty except for the Thornton packs that fade in and out of the ground. It just opens out around you and when the wind blows it's like flying." Botan breathed deep, remembering, and brushed his hands up Ran's bare arms.

"Tell me more." Ran settled in closer, pressing distracting kisses down Botan's neck.

"Uh...the Black," Botan gasped. One of Ran's hands was under his shirt now, teasing a nipple. "Antioch Station, right on the Rim. You know the stories," he breathed into Ran's ear and felt him shiver. "They're all true. It hangs, outside of orbit, nothing in the sky above it, just the faintest glimmer of another galaxy." They had made it to their feet and were moving, slowly, towards Botan's bed. "The buildings are works of art. They look like blown glass set in silver. Outside, the windows glow blue and golden. But you don't—nn, don't _stop_ —don't look at the building when you're outside. You step out the door and there's all of space above you, and nothing but the Dome's keeping it out. During the day, the galaxy hangs over your head and at night it's bigger and darker than anything you've—ever—see—"

Botan was naked again. Ran was on top of him, running his hands over Botan's skin. It was either ticklish or painfully arousing, but either way he was gasping for breath. Ran bent low until his face was just barely _not close enough_ and purred, "Still want to fuck me?"

Botan's arm shot out and fumbled for the drawer in his nightstand. _Lube, lube,_ lube, _aha!_ Lube safely in hand, Botan grabbed Ran by the shoulders and flipped them over. He let his eyes drank in Ran's and then they were kissing again.

Fingers scrabbled with the cap, squeezed. Botan snaked his hand down between Ran's legs to his opening. Ran made a sound and came up for air. Botan pulled back a little from the bellows movement of Ran's chest. He continued to rub the tight ring of muscle with one slippery finger.

"All right?" he asked.

" _Yes_ ," Ran replied, trailing his hand all the way down Botan's arm and guided Botan's finger in.

Ran's legs were spread wide. His hips jerked a little when Botan's finger slipped in, but he didn't let go of Botan's hand until he had started moving it on his own.

It felt—Ran met Botan's eyes and felt himself flush. He looked away hurriedly and scrunched his eyes closed. Sinking his teeth into his lip for a little clearness of thought, Ran grabbed at the sheets.

Botan had two fingers in him now, deep and occasionally brushing something electrifying. They jerked against it when Ran wrapped a hand full of lube around Botan's erection and they both made some fairly embarrassing noises, if either of them had been in any condition to notice.

Luckily for everyone's dignity, Botan was so preoccupied by the warm slide of Ran's hand coating his cock with lube that he could barely remember how he was supposed to move his fingers until Ran growled _in me_ and his brain shorted out completely. For his part, Ran was having a hard time focussing on anything other than the places he and Botan were touching, his hand splayed across Ran's ribcage and stomach above his hip, fingers moving inside him, the feverishly hot skin of his cock.

Botan withdrew his fingers and shuffled up the bed a little. Ran reached up to grip Botan's shoulders when Botan's hands settled on his hips. Botan pushed in slowly, watching Ran's face and breathing heavily through his mouth. It was tight, so tight, and then Ran was pushing back, his hands on Botan's shoulders pulling him closer, urging him further in and then he was _in_.

Ran's arms wrapped around him until their chests bumped when they breathed, and Botan had to brace his elbows on either side of Ran's head for balance. He looked down at Ran and feelings piled up behind his tongue until words tripped off it, and Botan fucked Ran, their hands wandering, and whispered in his ear, describing the Hind nebula, where the plasma storms danced like music made visible; and the strange, glowing Heart of Er-Than IV; and the sight of one sun setting while another rose on the opposite horizon. And Ran clung to him with slick, sweaty hands while everything blurred together into this bed and the roughness of the sheets against his knees and elbows, Ran's body around him, Ran's cock trapped between their stomachs.

Botan took it in one big hand and began jerking it firmly despite the awkward angle. His thrusts were becoming more erratic and the stream of words straggled off into a meaningless gabble.

Ran came without warning, spurting over Botan's hand and both their stomachs. He blinked once, sleepily, then fixed his eyes on Botan. Watching.

Botan lost it. He thrust once more and was overwhelmed by orgasm like a pebble is overwhelmed by a mountainslide.

Gradually, Botan came back to himself. He was lying on his side, Ran wrapped around him like ivy, a very sexy look of satiation on his face.

"Hey. Y'laughing?" Ran butted Botan's head reproachfully.

"Mm," Botan agreed. "You look like you ought to be surrounded by feathers. Eaten. Cat...thing."

Ran gave him a dubious look but let it pass. "You were right. Your bed is much better for this sort of thing."

"N't big enough," Botan muttered. His scapula were more or less flush with the wall at this point. "We'll get a bigger bed," he decided, then mumbled something that might have, given a great liberality of translation, expressed a desire to sleep, and became unconscious for a period of time. Ran curled into his warmth and followed suit.  
  



End file.
